Telecaster Guitar Forum - View Single Post

TexGoneNW · May 5th, 2005, 01:56 AM

I'm a Gibson guy from way back who is grabbing a Tele for every gig now.

I have spent over thirty years going into music stores and picking up almost every guitar that interested me to see if it was going to turn me on more than another guitar I already had.

I started playing on a non-reverse Gibson Firebird I, and have been a fool for P-90's most of my playing life. I eventually traded that Firebird and an SG Jr. with a HUGE FAT neck and a dog-ear P-90 plus cash for my Les Paul Pro prototype that was the first guitar I bought new. I still wish I had the SG Jr., but the Firebird was really a tough guitar to gig with, and the Les Paul Pro was my gigging guitar through college (probably why my shoulder/back is bad on that side, what a boat anchor!).

I bought my '71 Tele in 1980 on lay away when it had blue exterior latex on it and nobody was buying used Tele's, and it's still my favorite gig axe for what I'm playing nowdays (blues). Long intro is over, now for the point:

Only recently have I picked up a Daphne Blue MIJ 50th anniversary Strat with a rosewood board that I like. I had TRIED to like Strat's many times, and the rosewood board ones seem to be the only ones that have ever, ever had the siren's call. Even then, I have only played less than a handful that have made me consider buying one.

The one I have, it's shown me that the Strat has its place. The pups aren't as strong, but they're musical.

I used to think the only Strat I'd like would be hardtail, but I like Tele's better for that tone (have the '71, a Vintage Reissue, and recently aquired an Esquire - maybe a throwback to the SG Jr. love, but it has its own thang going). I've always naturally gravitated to a guitar that sustains well without being plugged in, and the Strat's with tremelo just don't do that. They're more percussive, and that's part of the Strat thang. I adapt how I play a little bit when I play a Strat for that reason.

The Strat is the #2 guitar on the blues gigs, and I'm carrying two Fenders mainly because the other guy who occasionally plays guitar has the humbucking sound covered.

If I carried three, I'd rotate a Gibson (maybe with P-90's), a Tele, and a Strat.

May 5th, 2005, 01:56 AM	#17 (permalink)
TexGoneNW Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Victoria, TX Posts: 932 4 Photos	JohnnyCrash, I have been there... I'm a Gibson guy from way back who is grabbing a Tele for every gig now. I have spent over thirty years going into music stores and picking up almost every guitar that interested me to see if it was going to turn me on more than another guitar I already had. I started playing on a non-reverse Gibson Firebird I, and have been a fool for P-90's most of my playing life. I eventually traded that Firebird and an SG Jr. with a HUGE FAT neck and a dog-ear P-90 plus cash for my Les Paul Pro prototype that was the first guitar I bought new. I still wish I had the SG Jr., but the Firebird was really a tough guitar to gig with, and the Les Paul Pro was my gigging guitar through college (probably why my shoulder/back is bad on that side, what a boat anchor!). I bought my '71 Tele in 1980 on lay away when it had blue exterior latex on it and nobody was buying used Tele's, and it's still my favorite gig axe for what I'm playing nowdays (blues). Long intro is over, now for the point: Only recently have I picked up a Daphne Blue MIJ 50th anniversary Strat with a rosewood board that I like. I had TRIED to like Strat's many times, and the rosewood board ones seem to be the only ones that have ever, ever had the siren's call. Even then, I have only played less than a handful that have made me consider buying one. The one I have, it's shown me that the Strat has its place. The pups aren't as strong, but they're musical. I used to think the only Strat I'd like would be hardtail, but I like Tele's better for that tone (have the '71, a Vintage Reissue, and recently aquired an Esquire - maybe a throwback to the SG Jr. love, but it has its own thang going). I've always naturally gravitated to a guitar that sustains well without being plugged in, and the Strat's with tremelo just don't do that. They're more percussive, and that's part of the Strat thang. I adapt how I play a little bit when I play a Strat for that reason. The Strat is the #2 guitar on the blues gigs, and I'm carrying two Fenders mainly because the other guy who occasionally plays guitar has the humbucking sound covered. If I carried three, I'd rotate a Gibson (maybe with P-90's), a Tele, and a Strat.